Sectional boiler



c. A. OLSON sECTIoNAL BOILER May 3, 1932.

6 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 25, 1928 l l C May 3 1932- C. A. oLsoN fr 1,856,354

SECTIONAL BOILER Filed oct. 25, 192s s sheets-sheet 2 May 3, 1932.

C. A. OLSON sEcTIoNAL BoILER Filed Oct. 25, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 `May 3, 1932.

C. A. OLSON sEcToNAL BOILEH Filed Oct. 25, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 3 1932 c. A. oLsoN 1,856,354

SECTIONAL BOILER Filed Oct. 25, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 3, 1932. c. A. oLsoN sEcTIoNAL BOILER Filed Oct. 25, 1928 6 SheetSvSheet 6 Patented May 3," 1932 7UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES A. OLSON, OF GENEVA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CRANE CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS SECTIONAL BOILER Application led October 25, 1923. Serial No. 314,972.

located with respect to the ilues and Water chambers in the boiler as to cause substantially all of the water rising through the boiler to iow over said surfaces.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a boiler a heat transfer surface located centrally and at the top of a boiler firebox and to cause all of the water entering the boiler to pass over said surface before leaving the boiler.

Another object ofthis invention is to provide in a boiler an arrangement of iues and water chambers adapted to heat to a substantially uniform temperature substantially Vall of the water rising through the boiler and to prevent any substantial amount of the Water from rising to the uppermost zones of the water chambers without acquiring the same increase in temperature which is asquired by the majority of the rising water.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a steam boiler means for delivering the steam to the steam outlet in a vmanner adapted to remove most of the excess moisture from the steam.

Another object of this invention is to make any or all of the above advantages available are inherently possessed by this invention and should become apparent hereinafter.

The drawings disclose one embodiment of the invention which has been selected for purposes of illustration. l

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an intermediate vertical' boiler section,

F ig. 2 is a rear elevation of the boiler showinthe smoke flue at the rear,

n ig. 3 combines a central vertical section 5;, ofthe rear and two intermediate sections and a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 5 of the front boiler section,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the rear boiler section, 6 Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the front boiler section, and

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a vsomewhat modified intermediate boiler section.

Referring in detail to the drawings,

A typical'boiler comprises a front section, generally indicated as-l, a rear section generally indicated as 2 and as many intermediate sections such as' the'similar sections 3 and 4 as may be required to attain' the boiler capacity desired. The usual grates, shaker mechanism, and ash pit are provided and a suitable fire box or combustion space above the grates is provided as indicated.

The intermediate boiler sections, such as 7:, section 3 shown in Fig. l illustrates most clearly' the manner in which the water flow is conducted to attain some of the purposes of the invention. Each intermediate boiler section comprises a left water leg 5 and a right water leg 6 which are connected at their uppermost portions bymeans of a substantially horizontal but slightly upwardly arched water chamber 7 which communicates at its central highest portion directly with a vertical s.; water chamber or passage 8. This chamber delivers the water rising from the chamber 7 into the slightly downwardly arched but substantially horizontal water chambers 12 and 13. The outer ends of the water passages vf 12 and 13 are also connected with the trans- Verse chamber 7 through the vertical passages 9 and 11 respectively. The water which rises from the passages 12 and 13 Hows into the uppermost water chamber 14. In each intermediate section there are provided the three gas Hues 15, 16 and 17 whose functions are later described.

Baiiles 18 and'19 are located near the tops of the water legs to aid in diverting the How of water from the water legs into the transverse chamber 7 toward the central passage 8. The rear boiler section, shown in elevation in Fig. 4 and in vertical central cross section in Fig. 3, is provided with a rear water leg 21 and side .water legs 22 and 23 which comy municate with al transverse water chamber 24. The water entering the transverse water chamber 24 Hows around the lateral ends of the Hue 25 thence upwardly into the uppermost water chamber 26.

The front boiler section shown in elevation in Fig. 5 has al left water leg 5 and a right water leg 6 similar to the corresponding water legs in the intermediate sections. These water legs communicate with a generallv horizontal but slightly inclined transverse water chamber 27 which carries the water toward the middle ofthis transverse water ber 31.

The Hue gases are conducted through the boiler as follows. Arising from the fire box they strike against the under surface of the transverse water chambers 27,7 and 7 ,indicated in Fig. 3 and How rearwardly against the rear water leg 21 of the rear boiler section, thence upwardly against the under surface of the transverse water chamber 24. The gases then commence to How forwardly being divided between the lower twin return Hues 15 and 16 in each of the intermediate boiler sections, progressing forwardly until they reach the front boiler section. Here part of the Hue gases continue to How forwardly through the twin Hues 154 and 16 until they reach the rear surface of a door not shown but which covers the clean out opening 41. These gases are then deflected upwardly through the vertical Hue 32 and How rearwardly through the-,uppermost Hue 29. Part of the Hue gases which reach the front boiler section are permitted to How upwardly through the vertical Hue passage 33 to join the Hue gases which areHowing rearwardly in the Hue 29. All of these gases then How rearwardly through the uppermost delivery Hines 17, 17 and 25, thence escaping out into I controlling the water How and applying heat a smo-ke boX 34 of any suitable construction which is connected to the rear boiler section.

rear boiler section, see Fig. 2. It then may progress from one boiler section to the next through the bottoms of the water legs through .connecting ports similar to the port 36,

shown in Fig. 3, these ports 36 being provided in adjacent water legs as indicated, the ports being sealed by means of push nipples 37 which have a tight frictional Ht in the registering ports. The amount of water drawn into each water leg and into each boiler section will depend upon the rate at which the water in each section is being heated and caused to rise from the respective legs to the upper parts of each boiler section.

The vertical boiler sections are connected again at their uppermost portions at the ports 38. When the boiler is used for generating steam a water level will be maintained approximately onthe line 10.-10, see Fig. 1, and the connecting ports 38 will be somewhat above this water level. The steam rising from the water is conducted vfrom the boiler sections through steam outlets 39 and 40, although a greater number of steam outlets may be utilized if desired.

A Hue clean out opening 41 is provided in the front boiler section'and a door of usual construction, not shown, will keep this opening normally closed.

A fire door opening 42 and a clinker door opening 43 are also provided in the front boiler section, these openings being normally closed by doors of usual construction which need not be shown.

Saddles 44 for the grate bars are provided and below the grates which may be of usual construction, there is provided the usual ash pit, together with the necessary. shaker barsV boiler sections may besecured together lugs v 48 are `provided onthe front boiler section and lugs 49 are provided on the rear boiler section through which are passed tie rods of usual construction. not shown. By means of the tie rods and suitable nuts the sections may be pulled tightly together, corresponding Hue passages being thereby brought into registration and the Water passages at the top and bottom being brought into registering and sealed connection as described. The ports 38 are rendered leak proof by the use of the usual push nipples 51 similar to the nipples 37 which are used at the bottomsof the water legs.

Fig. 1 illustrates clearly the methods of will be observed that the hottest products of combustion rising from the fuel bed will normally strike the central portions of this transverse water chamber 7 thereby delivering the maximum amount of heat units to the under side of the transverse water chamber 7. It is evident that after these gases have travelled rearwardly along this surface to the rear water section and then come forwardly to the twin gas flues 15 and 16 they will have delivered a considerable portion of their heat units to the water in the chambers 7.

The wide difference in temperature between the water in the transverse chamber 7 and the flue gases beneath and in contact with this chamber will cause a very rapid heat transfer through the chamber walls into the water and the convection currents thereby set up in the water will naturally cause it to flow toward the center of the chamber 7 across these highly heated upwardly inclined surfaces which form the bottom of the chamber. rlhe water will then flow from the cent-er of the chamber 7 up through the vertical passage 8. The baffles 18 and 19 by deflecting the water inwardly also aid in inducing the flow toward the center of the chamber 7 and counteract the tendency of the water to rise through the vertical water chambers 9 and 11 located outside of each of the twin flues 15 and 16, respectively.

The vertical water passages 9 and 11 which extend from the water legs to the uppermost water chamber 14 do not carry any substantial amount of water upwardly in the normal operation of the boiler. However, they do perform a number of important functions because of their relation to the other water passages. If these passages were eliminated and the llues 15 and 16 were extended to the lateral sides of the boiler sections much heat might be lost by conduct-ion through the side walls of the boiler and thence by radiation into the atmosphere. The water passages 9 and 11 however not only serve to prevent a loss of heat in this manner but also serve another useful purpose. lf all of the water in the boiler were cold and a fire were started, before any steam could be created, or before any hot water could flow out of the boiler it would be necessary to heat the water lying in the uppermost water chamber 14. Since the flue gases which will flow through the uppermost flue 17 are much lower in temperature than the gases beneath the chambers 7, it would be difficult to quickly heat the water lying above the flue 17 merely by means of heat which may be conducted through the ceiling of the flue 17. By means of the vertical passages at the lateral margins of the ue 17 and the vertical passages 9 and 11 the cold water in the chamber 14 is permitted to circulate downwardly into the chamber 7 and be brought into contact with the highly heated under surface of the chamber 7.

This recirculation is maintained within the boiler until a steaming temperature is attained in a steam boiler and possibly to some extent afterward. In a hot water boiler the recirculation continues at least until all of the water above the flue 17 has been uniformly heated. No harm is done if some water continues to flow downwardly in the passages 9 and 11 to mingle with the centrally flowing water in the chamber 7 but it is important to prevent any substantial amount of water from rising from the lower water chambers directly to the uppermost water chambers as commonly occurs in many of the previously known boilers.

ln previous constructions there are found various vertical or sharply inclined passages through which water may take a short cut to the top of the water chambers even though the water thus flowing through those paths has not attained as high 'temperatures as other portions of the water reaching the uppermost zones of the water chambers. By means of the construction herein disclosed all of the water rising from the water legs is caused to flow across the most highly heated heat transfer surface thence upwardly over the secondary heat transfer surfaces and when the water finally attains the level of the uppermost zones in the water chambers all of it is of approximately the same temperature.

Notl only does this invention make possible the attainment of boiler efciencies higher than were common with other boilers but the same construction which produces these greater efficiencies also enables the boiler when cold to be brought unusually quickly to an efficient operatingcondition.

The tlues and water chamber in this boiler are carefully designed to cooperate in the attainment of the desired efficiency without .necessitating confliction of parts and the disadvantages attendant upon such confliction. The most etlicient transferring of heat from the products of combustion to the water is attained when the hot gases are caused to rise against a substantial horizontal ceiling above which is lying the water to be heated. The water lying above such a surface when heated naturally rises quickly from the surface and the heated particles are replaced by cooler.

particles. At the same time the hot gases which have given up heat by conduction through the ceiling sink and hotter gases rise to replace them along the ceiling. The normal convection currents in the gases and in the water serve to maintain the wide temperatrre diffcrentia ion above and below the ceiling which is essential to rapid heat conduction through the ceiling. The replacement of heated water by water of lower temperature is more effectively insured when the substantially horizontal surface is inclined upwardly toward a direction in which it is advantageous to have the water flow. In this boiler the water chamber 7 overlies a substantially horizontal ceiling which is however slightly inclined, upwardly toward the center of the fire box. The fact that the ceiling is nearly horizontal assures a rapid heat transfer and the fact that the ceiling is inclined upwardly toward its middle causes the heated water to flow over what will naturally be the hottest part of the ceiling. This central flow of water naturally induces the upward f'low from the water legs. If one side of the ceiling should happen to receive more heat than the other side, due to imperfections in the fire bed, the convection currents in the water will cause the water to flow more rapidly over the hotter ceiling and.

less rapidly over the colder ceiling, thus proportioning the water flow to the temperature of the heat transfer surface and causing all of the 'water to be heated to substantially the same temperature. The slight inclination of the water chamber 7 and the location of the spot of most intense heat at its central portion not only induces upward flow from the water legs but prevents any substantial amount of water from flowing directly up through the passages 9 and 11 to the upper water chamber 14.

Furthermore the heat transfer surface and water'cnambers further cooperate to induce practically all of the water rising from the water legs to flow over the hot spot in the Water chamber 7 thence through the vertical passage 8 and into the transverse water passages 12 and 13. vThe flue gases are flowing forwardly through the twin fines 15 and 16,

and their hottest particles flow along the ceilings which underlie the passages 12 and 13. Here again are provided heat transfer surfaces nearly horizontal but slightly inclined which are adapted to yield the advantages of the substantially horizontall heat transfer surface with water lying above it to. gether with the advantage of inducing a definite water circulation by inclining the water passages upwardly in the desired direction of flow. It is to be expected that the hottest gas flowing through the flues 15 and 16 will seek the upper outer corners of these flues and by rapidly transferring their heat units to the water lying above will further aid in heating the water and inducing rapid circulation of the water over the heat transfer surfaces. When the boiler` is -being operated as a steam boiler the hot gases below the chamber 7 and the chambers 12 and 13 will cause the water to vaporize into small bubbles of steam which will flow outwardlythrough the pas-y sages 12 and 13 thence around the lateral sides of the flue 17. As these steam particles rise to the surface of the water they will naturally attain the surface at the maximum distance possible from the steam outlet. The steam outlet for the section may be either one of the ports 38 or one of the final outlets 39 or 40, but in any event the steam is compelled to travel a considerable distance from the point where it leaves the water to the point where it fiows out through the exhaust port 39 or 40. lBecause of the distance of this travel the steam is given the opportunity to lose by gravity any excess water which has been carried by it up from the surface of the water. By dropping this excess moisture out the steam can then proceed into the heating system carrying less moisture than 1s commonly carried by steam produced by the boiler hitherto used. One of the requirements of good practice in steam heating is to provide a low pressure steam which carries a minimum of excess moisture and this requirement is fully satisfied by this boiler.

The modified intermediate boiler section shown in Fig.. 6 is the type of intermediate section which is preferred for large sizes of boilers in which the width of the section would be so greatthat the surfaces of the uppermost flue 17 would be too long and too weak structurally if this flue were cast as a single flue. Accordingly to give adequate support to the confining walls of this flue in these extra Wide sections there is provided the vertical water passages 53 and 54 lfor conducting water upwardly from, the laterally extendlng passages 12 and 13, respectively. The walls of these water passages are adapted to furnish the necessary support for the walls of the fiue 17. In this modification smaller flues 55 and 56 will' therefore be placed as shown and adapted to conduct the flue gases preferably in the same direction in which they flow in the main upper flue 17. While the ywater passages 53 and 54 will discharge steam into the water chamber 14, yet in the large sized wide boiler sections these passages will be fully as far from the steam outlet 38 as are the outer ends of the flue 17 in the smaller section shown vin Fig. 1, hence the distance of travel of the steam rising to the surface of the water in this larger boiler section and flowing to the steam outlet 38 will uniform efficiency throughout its life. The 20 flue surfaces which normally accumulate the most soot and ashes are the bottom surfaces of the flues 15, 16, 17 and the similar flues registering respectively therewith; These bottom surfaces of the flues are not depended upon in this boiler for the transferring of any great proportion of the total transferred heat units in this boiler, since most of the heat units are conducted through nearly horizontal ceilings under which the flue gases lflow and over which the water rapidly circuates.

An additional advantage which is attained without interference with the normal functioning of this boiler resides in the fact that this boiler can be completely drained whenever desired.

lt should be ,understood that the disclosure in the drawings and specification is but one embodiment of the invention and has been selected for illustrating the invention and that modifications may be made diering from the illustrated embodiment which will yet remain within the spirit and scope of the nvention as defined in the claims which fol- Having shown and described this invention, ll claim.

l. A. sectional boiler comprising a combustion chamber and a plurality of vertical sections each having water legs at the sides thereof and upwardly arched transverse water chambers defining the top of said combustion chamber "and communicating with said water legs, the top of said chamber being imperforate except at one end thereof, a pair of return dues communicating at one end' with said .combustion chamber and spaced apart above said water chambers to provide a single central upwardly extending discharge passage for said water chamber in each section, a delivery flue disposed over but spaced from said return ues and directly above said central passage to provide laterally extending passages from said discharge passage, and a chamber above said delivery ue with which said passages communicate. 2. A sectional yboiler composed of vertical sections constructed to provide when assembled a combustion chamber having a ceiling imperforate except at i one end thereof, a pair of return iues and arranged thereabove a delivery due, each intermediate section providing water legs at each side of the combustion chamber, a central vertical water passage between said return dues, transverse water passages between the top of the combustion chamber and the bottom of said return fines for conducting substantially all of the water from the upper ends of said legs to said central passage, and transverse passages between the tops of said return flues and the bottom of said delivery flue for delivering heated water around the delivery iiue to a chamber above the flue.

3. A sectional boiler comprising a. plurality of vertical sections adapted when assembled to provide a combustion chamber having a ceiling imperforate except at one' end thereof, a pair of horizontally disposed return ues communicating with the rear portion of said combustion chamber, and a wide horizontally disposed delivery flue above the return flues communicating with the forward ends of said return flues, each section providing water legs at the sides of the combustion chamberonnected by a transverse passage above the combustion chamber and beneath the return flues, an upwardly extending passage above the longitudinal center line of said ceiling between the return flues for the delivery of water from said transverse passage, and laterally extending passages above the return lues and beneath the delivery lue through which the water from said upwardly extending passage is delivered.

Il. A sectional boiler comprising a plurality of vertical sections adapted when assembled in contiguous relation to provide a combustion chamber having a ceiling imperforate except at one end thereof, a pair of horizontal return flues above the combustion chamber and communicating with the rear' ward portion thereof, and a common delivery due above the return Fines and communicating with the forward ends of said flues, a section of said boiler being constructed to provide water legs at the sides of the combustion chamber, a transversely extending upwardly arched water passage connecting said water legs immediately above the combustion chamber, a water chamber above the delivery lue, transverse water passages between the delivery iue and the return iiues communicating at the sides of the furnace with said water chamber above the iiue, and a centrally disposed vertical passage between said return flues establishing communication between said transverse passages and said upwardly arched passage whereby the water is caused to iiow from the water legs to the center of the furnace immediately above the combustion chamber, thence upwardly between the return fines and thence transversely around the delivery flue to said chamber.

5. A sectional boiler including a section comprising vertical water legs connected at their upper ends by a transversely extending upwardly arched water passage forming respectively the side walls and an imperforate ceiling of a combustion chamber, a pair of horizontal return iiues above said passage separated by a vertical water passage communicating at its lower end with the crown of said transverse passage, a delivery flue overlying said vertical passage and return lues and separated from the latter by a transverse downwardly arched water passage communicating at its center with said vertical passage, and a water chamber above said delivery ue communicating with the ends of said downwardly arched passage.

6. A vertical section for a sectional boiler comprising water legs connected at their upper ends by a transversely disposed upwardly arched water passage, the inner walls of said legs and passage forming the walls and an imperforate ceiling of a combustion chamber, a pair of return Hues above said passage separated by a vertical water passage communicating with the center of said transl verse passage and with the center of an upper transverse passage above the return Hues, a delivery Hue overlying said upper transverse passage, a water chamber above the delivery Hue, water passages connecting the outer ends of said transverse passages, and deHecting means positioned to deHect water from said water legs and said connecting passages into said lower transverse passage.

7. A sectional boiler comprising a front section, a rear section, and intermediate sections adapted to provide when assembled a combustion chamber having a ceiling imperforate except in the rear section, a pair of horizontal return Hues, and a common delivery Hue above the return Hues, said sections providing water legs at the sides and rear end of the combustion chamber, said rear section providing an upwardly extending enlargement yof the combustion chamber through which communication with said return Hues is established, said front section providing a plurality of avenues of communication between said return Hues and Said delivery Hue, said intermediate sections providing the return Hues, and water passages beneath, above and between said Hues for conducting water from the water legs over the top of the combustion chamber upwardly between the return Hues and laterally around the delivery Hue into a water chamber y above the delivery Hue.

8. A sectional boiler comprising a plurality of sections adapted when assembled to provide a combustion chamber, a plurality of horizontal return Hues, a 'common delivery Hue, a water chamber extendingfrom end to end of the boiler above the delivery Hue,

water legs at the sides of the combustion chamber, and passages for conducting water from the upper ends of said legs over the combustion chamber, thence upwardly between the return Hues, and thence transversely around the delivery Hue to said chamber, and means establishing communication between the lower portions of said water legs.

9. A sectional furnace comprising a plurality of vertical sections constructed to provide when in assembled relation a combustion chamber having a ceiling imperforate except at one end thereof, a pair of horizontal return Hues, and a common delivery Hue through which products of combustion are mediately overlying the center of the com-4 bustion chamber ceiling, thence upwardly between the return Hues and thence laterally between the delivery and return Hues Wherenature. v

CHARLES A. OLSON.

delivered, water legs at the sides of the com` bustion chamber, and Water passages a1'.- ranged to conduct substantially all of the water from said legs over the upper walls of the'combustion chamber to a point im- 

